Reduction in Peyronie's-like plaque size using a vacuum erection device in a rat model of Peyronie's disease via the TGF-β/SMAD signalling pathway.

Peyronie's disease (PD) is a fibrotic disorder of the tunica albuginea (TA). This study aimed to determine the therapeutic effects of a vacuum erection device (VED) in an animal model of PD and explore the possible mechanisms. Twenty-seven male Sprague-Dawley rats were used. The sham group (group A) (N = 9) received a 50-μl-saline vehicle injection into the TA, while the remaining 18 rats (groups B and C) received a TGF-β1 injection into the TA. The treatment group (group C) underwent VED therapy for 10 days after the TGF-β1 injection. Erectile function was then assessed at day 42. Rats injected with TGF-β1 showed significantly lower intracavernous pressures than those in the sham group (p < 0.0001). After VED therapy, erectile function was significantly better in the treatment group than in the PD group (group B) (p < 0.0147). Masson's trichrome staining confirmed Peyronie's-like plaques at the TGF-β1 injection site in the PD group. Furthermore, the treatment group showed markedly smaller fibrotic plaque sizes than the PD group. A significant increase in TGF-β1, SMAD2, SMAD3 and p-SMAD2/3 protein expression was observed 6 weeks after the TGF-β1 injection. However, the expression of the same proteins decreased after VED therapy. Protein expression trends were confirmed using immunohistochemistry analysis. The findings of this study demonstrate that VED therapy can reduce Peyronie's-like plaque size in a rat model of PD while simultaneously improving erectile function.